A Mummy Christmas Carol
by TiffanyL
Summary: A twist of the classic tale. . . .~*~FINISHED!! FINALLY!!~*~ Merry Christmas, everybody! :)
1. A Not-so-merry Christmas

Chapter One:   
A Not-So-Merry Christmas  
  
"Rick, will pass me another piece of tape?" Evelyn O'Connell asked her husband sweetly.  
"Wha? Oh, yeah, sure Evie, here ya go." He handed her a small piece and went back to daydreaming.  
"What's wrong with you these days, Rick? Usually Christmas time makes you really happy. . .you've been rather melancholy these past few days. . .anything you want to talk about?"  
"Evie, we've gone over this too many times! I've told you repeatedly that nothing is wrong! So just lay off, OK?" he snapped.  
More than slightly taken aback, Evelyn just turned her head away and went back to her wrapping. They sat in silence for a few moments when Rick noticed Evelyn making little quiet sniffling noises. A quick look of sympathy passed over Rick's blue eyes but it quickly turned into a look of exasperation.  
"Evie, will you stop that? I swear nothing is wrong, I'm fine, OK?"  
"Rick, please stop yelling like this, you'll wake up Alex," she begged.  
Rick stood up so fast the chair he was sitting in nearly fell backwards.   
"No! I will not stop yelling! You keep begging me to tell you what's wrong, and I keep telling you nothing! When are you gonna get it through your head?"  
"Rick, it's Christmas Eve, please keep your voice down so Alex doesn't come down and have all of his dreams of Santa Claus ruined! And the reason I keep asking is because I know you and I know you're not telling me the truth! Why are you acting like this? You're constantly in a bad mood, you snap at me as well as Alex, and. . . . .and. . . ." she turned her back to him, sadly, ". . .and when was the last time you said you loved either of us? You used to tell me at least five times a day. . .what happened to you? To us? To our family? Why won't you talk to me, Rick?"  
Her eyes were beginning to tear, which they rarely ever did. Rick took a deep breath.  
"That's it," he said bitterly. "I need to get some air. . .or something. I'll be back later."  
With that, he grabbed his coat and keys and left.   
Evelyn just sat down on the couch, stunned at what had just happened. One tear slipped down her cheek, and before long she was overwhelmed with sobs.  
  
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~  
  
Rick stomped out of the house and into the dark, snowy night. He got into his car, not sure of where he was going. He started down the long driveway and just decided to let go of everything and just drive. He needed to cool off.  
  
His thoughts were raging inside his head.  
  
What right does she have to tell me that I don't love her anymore? I think I've shown that I do thousands of times. I saved her from becoming a ritual sacrifice, for Christ's sake! If that's not love, then what is?  
  
He turned into downtown London. The streets were completely empty, every store closed down for Christmas. Rick decided to pull over into the park. He did, and put the car into park and stepped out into the lightly falling snow.  
  
He walked around for a few minutes before finally deciding to sit down on a bench. But it wasn't just any bench. It was here that, over 12 years ago, he proposed to Evie. It was here that he shared his anniversary gifts, here that they shared countless wonderful moments. But those memories seemed so distant now. His marriage was falling apart, but he could not understand why.  
  
He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, trying to sort out his thoughts. He had not been in that position for more that a minute when he heard someone walking towards him. He jerked his head up and looked around. Out of instinct, he reached to his sides to pull out his guns, but he, of course, did not have his holster on him. He stood up quickly when he saw a dark figured coming toward him.   
  
The figure was tall and broad-looking, but could not be more than 25. Rick squinted at the man that was heading towards him. He looked familiar. . . .  
  
As the figure got closer, Rick recognized him as his good friend Ardeth Bay. But it was not Ardeth Bay as Rick knew him now. It was Ardeth as Rick knew him the first time he met him, over 12 years ago. He looked younger and more alert than the desert warrior of the present.  
  
"Ardeth?" Rick asked.  
  
"Hello, my friend." Ardeth said in his thick accent.   
  
"How have you been?" Rick asked, patting him on the back.  
  
"I have been fine, O'Connell. But there is something you must know. I am not the Ardeth you have come to know. I am Ardeth of years past. And I have come to show you a few things. I understand that you and Evelyn have not been getting along lately?"  
  
Rick's look of confusion was replaced with a look of slight embarrassment.  
"Yeah, that's true," Rick said, looking away. "But what does that have to do with you being here?"  
  
"Well," Ardeth replied, "You have not been able to grasp why you do not have the same feelings you used to have. You have forgotten how you felt when you first saw her. I am here to remind you."   
  
And with that, Ardeth said a chant in Arabic and he and Rick were suddenly somewhere else. . . . . 


	2. The Past. . . .

When Rick opened his eyes, he found himself in the desert next to Ardeth. It was daylight, and the sudden heat made Rick take off his coat.   
  
"Where are we?" he asked, looking around. They were in a small village, one that looked vaguely familar. He knew he had been there before, but he couldn't remember when.  
  
"Do you not recognize this place, my friend? You came here several years ago."  
  
"Uh, I can't remember, lemme think a sec--" Rick stopped when he heard the sound of his own voice. He turned and saw himself with Jonathan. Evelyn was no where to be seen, however. Rick wondered where she was, but continued to quietly watch what was happening.   
  
It seemed that he and Jonathan were trying to buy a few camels. . . .  
Why would they need camels? Rick thought.  
  
Suddenly, the memory came rushing back to him.   
  
He was back in the Bedouin village. Where he, Evelyn, and Jonathan had stopped on their way to Hamunaptra. While he was comtemplating the events, he was jerked out of his thoughts again by his own voice.  
  
"Ya know, we coulda got 'em for free. . . .all we had to do was give 'im your sister." he heard himself say.  
  
Rick knew at once what was coming next. He whipped around just in time to see Evelyn emerge from the tent she had been in.  
  
Rick's breath caught in his throat as he watched himself, 12 years ago, see Evelyn in new light.   
  
She looked so beautiful. So pure. So wonderful. He suddenly remembered how he felt at that precise moment in his life as he watched himself help Evelyn up onto the camel and lead the group out of the village.  
  
Rick turned to Ardeth.  
  
"She looked so beautiful, I didn't know what to say. . . .Please take me somewhere else now, I want to see her again."  
  
Ardeth nodded.   
"Our journey has just begun my friend." He quickly drew his cape again, and in a flash he and Rick were outside a church.  
  
It took Rick no time to realize where they were. They were at the church he and Evelyn were married in.  
  
"Oh, God, can we go in?" Rick begged.  
  
"No, my friend, the ceremony has already started, we cannot. But you may look in the window."  
  
Rick immediately turned and ran for the nearest window and looked in. He took a sharp breath as he saw Evelyn walking down the aisle.  
  
He looked at himself, grinning widely at the altar.  
  
Rick shook his head. He had been so happy, so in love. Why did he not feel that anymore? They were so happy together, why was it not like that anymore. He began to watch the ceremony, but Ardeth came up behind him quickly.  
  
"It is time to go somewhere else, O'Connell," he said darkly. Before Rick had a chance to protest, he was being swept away to another location.   
  
Rick looked around. They were back in the desert again. They were outside a large pyramid. With a deep sense of dread, Rick recognized the golden pyramid.   
  
They weren't just in the desert. They were back in Ahm Shere. He looked at Ardeth, and was about to ask him why they were there when he heard a voice yell out, in seeming protest. It was his voice that had yelled. Rick turned and saw himself running out of the pyramid as fast as possible.   
  
Rick whipped back to Ardeth, realization setting in. Ardeth nodded, and gestured for Rick to watch.  
  
As much as he didn't want to, he looked over to where his past self had run.  
  
He saw himself lowering Evie to the ground. She had been stabbed. She was dying. Rick turned, unable to watch. But he knew he must.  
  
He saw himself openly crying. His son and Jonathan watching on in shock and horror. He saw Evelyn slowly but surely slipping away.   
  
Rick edged closer to the scene. He came around behind himself so he could look into Evie's face. Her sparkling hazel eyes were fading, her life was draining from her.   
Rick closed his eyes, the pain was coming back. He remembered how he had felt at this moment in his life. He felt like he was losing his whole world, the one he loved most was leaving him forever.  
  
Rick knew how the day ended; Evie did come back to life again, but the pain of watching her die again came back and he started to tear up again. He turned away as he saw Evelyn take her last breath. He ran back to Ardeth, unable to bear anymore.   
  
"Why did you show me this?" he asked angrily.  
  
"My friend," Ardeth explained. "Look at how much you loved her. See how you felt your own life slip away along with hers. You had so much love for her you did not know what you were going to do. Yes, she did come back to you, but what if she hadn't? Then what would you have done?"  
  
Rick turned away from his friend.  
  
"I did love her. But somehow she is just to. . . . .I don't know, but it's not the same anymore. Take me back home, Ardeth. I don't want to see anymore."  
  
Much to Rick's surprise, Ardeth gave a quick nod. And before he knew it, he was back in the park in London, sitting in the snow.  
  
He shook his head, unable to believe what had just happened to him. He closed his eyes and blinked several times, just trying to make sense of it all.  
  
Then he heard another noise. He turned to see Ardeth there.  
  
"Oh, sorry, I didn't realize you came back with me." Rick said. But then he looked closer. Ardeth had aged in a matter of seconds. He now looked like the Ardeth Rick knew now, how he had looked during the Ahm Shere disaster.   
  
"Hey, what happened to you?" Rick asked. "I thought you had gotten younger!"  
  
Ardeth shook his head.   
"That was not the same Ardeth, O'Connell. I am the Ardeth that you know now. I need to show you what is going on at your home."  
  
"What do you mean, show me what's going on at home? I just left there, I know what's going on. Evelyn is wrapping Alex's gifts, Jonathan's gone, and Alex is asleep. Why do I need to see that?"  
  
"O'Connell, that is how it was before you and your wife argued. You are not at all aware of what your wife is doing at this moment."  
  
And with that and a quick flick of his long black cape, Ardeth took Rick back to the manor. . . . . 


	3. The Present. . . .

OMGOSH!! When I went back to look at my story, I realized I completely forgot the disclaimer!! LOL!  
  
OK, so they aren't mine.   
  
OK Now I can't get sued. LoL Now back to my story, hehehe. . . .  
  
  
Within just a few short seconds, Rick stood outside a large window of his house. He looked inside and saw Evelyn pacing in the living room, looking very worried. Jonathan was home, which was unusual at this hour; he was usually still out at a bar. But Jonathan seemed sober enough and was trying to calm his baby sister down.  
  
"Oh, Jonathan," Rick heard his wife say, "Where is he? It isn't like him to be gone this long. . . .I knew I shouldn't have said anything. I shouldn't have tried to get him to tell me if he didn't want to. And now he's gone and I'm not sure if he'll ever be back and it's all my fault!"  
  
"Evie, no. . ." Rick said softly, putting his hand up to the window, trying to get her attention. "It's not your fault, it's mine. . .I shouldn't have snapped at you! Evie! Evie?"  
  
He turned to Ardeth. "Why can't she hear me? I'm right here this time, and it's the present!"  
  
But Ardeth just shook his head. "She cannot see you, my friend, because you are not really here. You are just watching your world as if you are not apart of it."  
  
Rick was confused, but he just kept going.  
  
"Well, I'm going into my house and explaining." Rick ran towards the door, but he couldn't open it. He tried using his keys, but they wouldn't work. He shot Ardeth an evil look.  
  
"Why did you bring me here if I can't do anything?" Rick asked sharply.  
  
"O'Connell, I brought you here to see what Evelyn has been contemplating over these past few weeks. You're sudden change of heart had affected your wife more than you realize." Ardeth gestured toward the window.  
  
Rick went over to it and looked through. Jonathan was trying to dissuade Evelyn from doing something, but Rick couldn't figure out what.  
  
"Jonathan, I cannot live like this anymore! He doesn't love me anymore, and he shows it quite blatantly. I have to leave, I need to get out of here!" Evelyn was near hysterics, which was very unlike her.  
  
"Oh, come along, Old Mum, Rick loves you more than life itself; how can you think otherwise?" Jonathan asked gently.  
  
"Oh, I don't know, Jonathan, maybe because he never tells me anymore? I mean, you remember how our affections disgusted you all the time; when was the last time you saw us together like that? The past few weeks, I've been lucky to get a quick goodbye kiss as he walks out the door, let alone. . . . .well, I think you get where I'm going. But apparantly I've done something wrong and if I stay much longer it will kill the spirit that I love so much about him. I love him, Jonathan, that's why I really must go." And Evelyn turned on her heels and headed up to her and Rick's room.  
  
"Evie! Evie! Don't do it, Evie! Come along now. . ." Jonathan pleaded as he rushed up after her.  
  
Rick turned to Ardeth quickly. "She-she's leaving me! Bu-why-I-I- she's leaving me, Ardeth! You have to let me in so I can stop her! ARDETH! Let me stop her! She can't leave!"  
  
But Ardeth looked down at the ground and said, "No. I am sorry my friend, but this is where you're actions have led you. You must remain accountable. . ."  
  
"NO! I won't let her leave me!" Rick was by Ardeth in two long strides and picked him up by the collar. "Let me in NOW!"  
  
"My friend, there is something else you must see first." Ardeth said, gasping for breath. Rick dropped him, and the next thing he knew, he was inside his home, in Alex's room, where his son sat quietly next to his bed.  
  
"Hey, buddy!" Rick said to his son. But Alex didn't turn around.  
  
"He cannot hear you, O'Connell. I have already explained--" Rick put up a hand to silence Ardeth. Alex seemed to be talking to himself, Rick wanted to hear his words.  
  
" . . .and I know that I don't pray often," Alex was saying quietly. "But it's Christmas Eve, and my dad's gone. My mum has been crying herself to sleep for a long time now, and I heard her and Uncle Jon talking about something downstairs. I think she may leave all of us because of her and Dad fighting. Why are they fighting? Whenever I ask, they say that nothing is wrong. Neither of them know that I can hear them, every night, arguing about something else. I'm scared. . . .please bring my dad home for Christmas. Maybe he can talk to Mum and they can make up and be happy again. And I promise that I'll never act grossed out when they kiss. . . I miss it. . .I guess that's it. . . .Amen."  
  
Rick's eyes were watery as he watched his son climb into bed. He looked at Ardeth.  
"Evie and I had no idea he could hear us. . .oh God, he knows everything. I--I can't watch anymore. I need to go find Evie before she leaves. I need to talk to her."  
  
Ardeth just looked at his friend and said, "It is time to go, O'Connell. My time is running out."  
  
"But-" Rick tried to protest. But he was already back in the park, and Ardeth was gone.  
  
"My God, this is getting ridiculous!" He stood up quickly, with every intent to go home. But when he turned he ran into someone.  
  
It was Ardeth. But he was a few years older. Little specks of gray were spotting his beard and hair, but he was still as handsome as he ever was.  
  
"Oh, Jesus, not another one!" Rick cried, exasperated. "What are you doing here? I've already seen past and present! What's next?"  
  
"O'Connell, I have been sent to show you what life will be like if you do not go home and apologize to your wife. It will not be pretty, but it is something you must see."  
  
"Oh, geez. Here we go again. . ." Rick said as Ardeth began to chant. . . . . 


	4. The Future. . . .

"Where are we?" Rick asked. He looked around.  
  
"Is that my house? What happened to it?"   
  
The O'Connell manor was no longer the bright, beautiful house it had once been. It was now overgrown with weeds and mold, and the wonderful "home" sense to it was long forgotten.  
  
Rick ran up to a window and looked inside. He saw himself sitting in his easychair, looking at a photo album. He looked older, but only by a couple of years.   
  
"Dad, what are you doing?" Rick heard a voice say. He looked up to see Alex walking down the stairs. He had grown nearly a foot, looking to be about 12.   
  
Rick saw himself slam the album shut quickly. "Uh, nothing, son. Just sitting here, that's all."  
  
Alex walked into the room and stopped short. "Oh, Dad, you're not looking at that again, are you?" he asked, sounding somewhat sad. "You know that it's been almost two years since. . . .here, give me that." Alex took the book and started to put it back on it's shelf. But he stopped himself and opened it.  
"It's been awhile since I looked in here. . ." he said softly. "Oh, Dad, look. Here's you and mum and me when I was a baby. She. . . .she was so pretty, wasn't she Dad.. . . ." Alex closed the book, overcome with grief.  
  
Rick saw himself reach out to Alex and pull him down onto the sofa.  
  
"Yes, son, she was. And that's how we have to remember her. Beautiful and full of life. . . ."   
  
"Dad, I'm so sorry about what happened, I really am. . ." Alex said quietly, near tears.   
  
Rick turned to Ardeth. "What?" he asked sharply. "What? What happened? Oh, God, what happened to Evie?"  
  
Ardeth looked away for a moment, but then forced himself to look into his friend's anxious eyes. "I'm so sorry, my friend. But the night that you left, that Christmas Eve, she packed her things and left. . . .but it was snowy and the car. . .she couldn't control it over the ice, and. . ." Ardeth looked away again.   
  
"No!!!" Rick cried in agony. That-that's just not possible! Why? Why her? She didn't deserve anything. . .it's all my fault, it's all my fault! If only I hadn't yelled, if only I hadn't left. If I'd have talked it out with her, I could have made it right!" Rick was near hysterics.  
  
"Ardeth, I love her. I love her so much it hurts. She does not deserve to die like this! We're supposed to grow old together and watch Alex grow up and have grandchildren and. . .I swear, I'll apologize. It's all my fault and I need to tell her I'm sorry. I have to be able to change this! You wouldn't show it to me if I couldn't change it, right? I need to tell her how much I love her, how much she means to me, how sorry I am. . ."   
  
Ardeth looked at his friend and said a quick chant in Arabic.  
  
"Will you stop doing that?" Rick yelled. "Just help me get to my wife, please!"  
  
And, as soon as it had happened, Rick was back in the park. He was on the bench where he had sat down to think so long ago. But it was no longer night, it was the morning.. . . .  
  
"Oh, God, don't tell me I'm too late. . . she can't have left yet. . . .she can't have gotten in that car and. . ."   
  
Before he could think anything else, Rick ran to his car and jumped in. He drove towards the manor as quickly as he possible could, praying he wasn't too late. . . . 


	5. Picking Up the Pieces

"Please. . .I'm not too late. . .oh, God, tell me I'm not too late. . ." Rick's thoughts were out of control as he raced towards his home on Christmas morning. "If she got into that car, I'll never forgive myself. . ."  
  
He drove recklessly; not that it mattered, it was Christmas and everyone was at home with their families. Everyone but Rick, who was praying that part of his family was still alive. . .  
  
He pulled up his endless driveway and up to the front of the manor. He barely remembered to turn the car off before he raced to his front door. He threw the door open and burst into the foyer.  
  
"Evie?? Evelyn?" There was no answer. "Where is everybody? Jonathan?"   
  
Silence.  
  
He ran into the kitchen, into the dining room, and into the parlor. Nobody was there. He called up the stairs, again. There was still no answer.  
  
Desperately, he ran into the large living room. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his brother-in-law asleep on the couch. He ran over to Jonathan and shook him, violently.  
  
"Jonathan? Jonathan! Get up!"  
  
"Huh. . .wha?" Jonathan blinked several times and looked up. "Oh, Rick. . ." Suddenly he became alert. "Rick! You're back!"  
  
"Of course I'm back, I live here, now where's Evie?" he demanded.  
  
"Evie? Well, she, uh. . .well the last time I saw her she was headed upstairs.. .to, uh, to pack. She's going to leave, Rick" Jonathan looked away. "I stayed down here so that I could reason with her some more before she left, but I guess I fell asleep."  
  
"Well, dammit, did she leave?" He asked forcefully.  
  
Jonathan just looked at him. "I--I'm not sure. . ."  
  
Before he could finish his sentence, Rick ran from the room and up the stairs to his and Evie's room. The door was barely cracked open.  
  
Rick paused, almost afraid to open it. He took a deep breath and peeked inside.  
  
And there she was. She was lying on the bed, asleep. Her hair loose, scattered in soft curls around her pillow. There was a half-packed suitcase laying on the floor by the bed. Apparently, she had fallen asleep in her attempt to leave.  
  
Rick slowly crept in the room, not wanting to wake her. She took his breath away. She looked so beautiful and peaceful. But there were tear stains on her pillow and on her face. Rick felt his heart twist; he had caused those tears. Now he had to make it right.  
  
He reached the bed and slowly leaned over, barely kissing the tip of her nose. That was how he used to wake her up every morning. . .at least until recently. Her eyes fluttered, and then slowly opened. She squinted, then opened her eyes fully, surprised.   
  
"Rick?" she said softly. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Well, I came back. We need to talk. But it looks to me like you've made all your decisions here." He looked down at the suitcase.  
  
She looked and him, her cheeks slightly flushed. Her embarrassment quickly turned into anger.  
  
"Well, what else would you have me do? Just sit around here, at your beck and call, just waiting to fall back into your arms every time you come back? Well, if you think that, then you never knew the real me, Mr. O'Connell." She turned away from him, her arms crossed.  
  
Rick winced. She hadn't called him "Mr. O'Connell" in nearly 12 years. . .but then he smiled, loving her quick temper. His smile quickly dissolved as she quickly stood up and headed to her closet to get more clothes.  
  
"Hey, now, wait just a minute." He protested. "I said we needed to talk, and we're gonna talk!"  
  
She turned and looked at him, hazel eyes on fire. "Well. You've got five minutes, O'Connell. Then I'm leaving."  
  
Rick took her gently by the arm and led her to the bed. She sat down and he sat down next to her. He just looked at her, not knowing where to begin.  
  
"Well. . .uh. . ." he ran his hand through his hair. This was going to be harder than he thought. "OK, here it is. We haven't been getting along lately, I don't need to say that."  
  
Evelyn just looked away. Rick turned her face to look at him, and then continued.  
  
"Well, I know that it's been like this ever since Ahm Shere, and lately it's gotten even worse. I've been distant, and I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Evelyn." He paused.   
  
"Is that it?" She asked. "You're sorry?"  
  
"No. That's not it. I need to tell you why I've been. . .a jerk lately. You need to know why." He took another deep breath. "The truth is, Evie, after Ahm Shere, I got scared. Real scared. I--I saw you die, something I never thought I would have to see. And I couldn't do anything about it. You see, I always thought that I had some kind of. . .I dunno. . .invincibility. I could control everything that happened around me, and I could fix everything. But then. . .then she stabbed you, and you left me." He looked away.  
  
Evelyn's eyes softened a little. "But, I came back. I'm alive, Rick."  
  
Rick stood up quickly. "Yeah I know that, but still. It was still the hardest thing I've ever gone through. And when I saw that I couldn't really control everything around me, I got scared. So I pushed you away. I was afraid to get close to anyone, especially the one that I loved the most. I was afraid that if I did, you'd only die again, and this time you wouldn't come back. So I got distant, I tried to stay away from what we used to be."  
  
Evelyn just looked at him. "You hurt me, Rick. You made me feel that I had done something wrong, that you didn't love me anymore. .." This time it was her who looked away.  
  
"Well, I just kept telling myself that it was gonna be all right, I just had to hold myself back from you so I wouldn't get hurt. When what I really should have been doing was taking the time we have together for all it's worth. . . I know I can't make up the past year to you, Evie, but can't I at least try?"  
  
"If you wanted to try and make up, then why did you leave? On Christmas Eve of all nights?"  
  
"Well it's just that these past few weeks have been so hard, with everyone talking about Christmas and being with loved ones. . .I guess I snapped. . . I have no excuse. All I can say is I'm sorry. I'm so, so, sorry, Evelyn. I love you. I've always loved you. I always will love you. Please, forgive me?" His deep blue eyes pleaded with her.  
  
She didn't answer right away.  
  
"Rick. . .I. . .I love you, too. But this is something that's not going to just go away, you know. But I am willing to stay here and make it work. Because I love you, I've always loved you, and I always will love you, too." Her eyes brimmed with tears.  
  
Rick smiled and gave her a hug. "Thank you, Evelyn. . .God, I love you. I love you so much. . ." He took her face in his hands and wiped away her tears with his thumb. Hesitantly, he began to lean in. She just looked at him, and then gave him a shy nod.  
  
He smiled, broader now, and leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. He had missed her. . .he had missed the feel of her. . .he had missed everything. . .  
  
He pulled away, but her eyes told him she didn't want him to stop. So he obliged and kissed her again, deeper this time. They were interrupted by a snort from the doorway.  
  
"It's about bloody time!" Jonathan said. He looked at them, disgusted. "So I guess now you two are going to be all lovey-dovey. Again." Then he smiled. Whether or not he admitted it, he had missed their affections.  
  
"Awww, Uncle Jon, let them be," Alex said. "Don't worry Mum, I don't mind anymore."   
  
Evelyn smiled at her son. "Merry Christmas, Alex."  
  
"Oh, that's right! It's Christmas! Let's go open presents!" Alex quickly turned and ran downstairs to the parlor, where all of the gifts waited for him.  
  
Jonathan rolled his eyes and just said "Kids." But then he, too, raced downstairs to see what Saint Nick had brought him.  
  
"Well, I guess we better head downstairs to watch our two kids open their presents, " Rick said with a smile. Evelyn nodded.   
  
"I'll be down in just a minute. I just need to. . .clean up in here."  
  
Rick smiled, gave her a quick kiss, and headed downstairs.  
  
Evelyn looked around the room, sighed, and then smiled. It would take awhile, but soon things would be back to normal. 'No,' she thought. 'They'll be better than before.'  
  
She stood up and began unpacking.  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Downstair, while Rick and Jonathan began to sort out all of the gifts, Alex paused and went over to the window.  
  
He looked up and the morning sky and simply said,   
  
"Thank you. . ."  
  
Then he turned and went back to his family to open presents and have a merry Christmas.  
  
  
  
  
~*~The End~*~  
  
  
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!  
  
Love,   
  
Tiffany 


End file.
